Trouble

“Trouble” Written by Daz, Inspired by MJMez and Mad got home save and their ‘fake’ story was accepted though they were eager to spend more time with Michael. He promised to show them what life was really about…Welcome to the sequel of “Threatened”.

“Mez are you okay? “ His sister worried as he seriously limped and the blood seeped a little out of the hanky. “I will be once we’re home, alright! “ He replied firm as he was biting away the pain. “Home is that way, right? “ She pointed in the other direction. “Well, we can’t be seen together now. You hurry home and try not to get caught and I… “ he squirmed a little. “I… I have to get to the bowling somehow to get that bloody bike otherwise our story won’t hold.” “Be careful” she could only say as she saw how he hobbled away from her.

Well, all ends well as by Magic, he didn’t meet anyone so once he got his bike… His story was set in stone. Can you fall with your bike without breaking it? Well, he threw his bike into the gravel so that it would at least have the smell and the feel that it crashed somehow, intentionally or not. The blood was now quite soaking his leg but he couldn’t stall any longer and the pain had to be ‘wished’ away now too. As he hobbled home with his dirty bike, Dad was not in sight yet and Mum was still slaving in that damn kitchen. She did let out a high shriek when she saw all that blood and as she wiped her hands on her towel, she instructed him to sit down. So, he told the ‘fake’ story of falling with his bike and hitting a rock on his way down. Mum didn’t say a word though she cleaned the wound and put a fresh wound dressing on. She even offered him to make a sandwich and he agreed.

As he was gobbling it up like he had been gone for over a week LOL. Mum stepped into the hallway calling out for Madeline. He could only hope for the Best now.

A sigh of relief washed over him as she trotted into the kitchen and with the same fright as Mum she fussed over him and then winked at him. He only nodded claiming it was not such a big deal. To make amends somehow, Madeline asked about the cake And Mum proudly showed her the yummy Raspberry cake. “I do hope you win this year, Mum” “Well, it’s not always about winning dear. I just enjoy making them. I see you perked up a bit. ““oh” she faked a cough. “Yeah, that nap did wonders, thanks Mum” “You want a ham sandwich too? “ “Yeash, thanks Mum”

Well, life took its ‘normal’ stride again but it would never be boring or dull anymore as something had changed and they could only hope that no one would spot the difference though. Like only smiling about it would mean ‘trouble’ you see! They did their homework and the chores they were used too and they ‘socialized’ as they should do but still the ‘promise’ lingered in the back of their mind. Oh, there was one other ‘adult’ thing you could that ‘allowed’ girls if only to carry the stuff there, duh! Fishing! They had a lake just before the forbidden forest.

So, next Saturday they head out and Dad was surprised that Mez got a new hobby after all but he claimed he didn’t like fishing and would just stay Home to watch the Baseball match that was on in the late afternoon. Madeline claimed she was going along to help carry the lunchbox and she insisted she needed to study and if Dad was watching the game, you know! It made Mum only sigh in the fore math of a noisy afternoon but what could she do, hey!

Soon, that wonderful Sats came along and packed with new equipment and a lunch box they were off. For an hour or so, they did do fishing and Mad did do a little studying but since they were all alone cause it seemed like every block was watching the game, Mez carefully began his plead to visit him again. “I thought you’d never asked” she huffed at him as she closed her books. “You got a test on Monday? ““Yeah but I’ve been looking at it for the last hour and I can look at it tomorrow too so let’s go. “Mad glanced at what he was doing. “Nah, I’m not leaving it behind. It’s our perfect cover and it has all my savings in it so… You need to drag your books and that lunchbox with you too.”She only shrugged. “I hope we find him soon though. “ “Yeah, me too. I look like lost carrying this stuff. Like how could we have missed the lake if we end up in the forest, hey? “ “We don’t need to explain anything to anyone” she huffed again. Her brother gave her the looks and then she corrected. “Okay, only to our parents then” she sighed.

The walk through the woods seemed endless and at one point they did feel like they were lost anyway but then in the distance… Did they spot a cabin there? Would he live there all by himself? Would he be nice like the first time?

Mez knocked on the door. No answer… It seemed like a withered cabin maybe to give the ‘impression’ that it was abandoned and no one would bother you.

Though you could not walk around it as the way ahead was somehow ‘wired’ and

that even seemed rusty like it had been like that for ages now.

“Is he home? “ “I don’t know. It looks off but maybe that’s the whole point. I’m not sure he gets a lot of visitors, right? “ “Michael? “ She called out. “Shhhh! “ Mez hushed her as he was listening for any sound inside the cabin. Anything from breathing to footsteps to even Music or a TV playing. “Well, I don’t know his last name so it’s Michael for now” she fretted. He tried to peek inside the cabin and indeed it looked abandoned. “I’m afraid we better just get home. It’s the wrong cabin and it will soon be dark so there goes the promise…” It made his sister sigh and slump her shoulders. Too good to be true, right? It always is, hey!

“That would be Jackson. Mr. Jackson.” A soft voice spoke up and Mad looked around in search for her ‘prince charming’. Just a few meters in front of them stood the same man in the same black coat. He let down his hood now and introduced himself as Michael again. “You live here? “ Mez wondered appalled at the condition of the cabin. “Nah” he chuckled. “ That is just to keep the ‘normals’ away.”“I see, we’re ‘normals’ too, right? ““Technically yeash but not completely yet! “ “Alright” “I see you went fishing. Did you catch anything? ““Oh that” he showed his fishing line. “Nah, just a decoy really! “ “I see… So, you came to see me, right? “

Mez had to bump his sister out of her stare as she looked like a codfish just gawking at him. “Yeash” she cheered as she finally snapped out of it. Wouldn’t you gawk at that much beauty to behold? “Okay” he motioned them to come closer but both were like glued on that very spot. “Come and I’ll show you around in my world. “ Mad almost fled in his arms but Mez held her back. “Are we sure we can trust you? “

“I see” He only replied and hid himself in his hood again. Now, his beauty was a little hidden and that made Mad snap out of her Bliss. Now she was the one hitting her brother. “Aouch, Mad” he whined. “Of course, we can. He saved us before remember?” She almost kicked his leg but he could just avoid contact. “Don’t! Be nice” he demanded her.

“Oh, how is your leg by the way?” “It’s okay, thx” “Don’t be afraid. I will not harm yé. Come…” He spoke in his warm soft voice, flapped his coat around him and walked off. Mad followed him and reluctantly, Mez had to follow her too as she was his sister, right?

In front of them, doomed up a huge thing in the form of a castle with the same weariness as the cabin and it certainly gave you the creeps but something in his voice made her trust him so she followed him. Mez however was now the ‘skeptical’ one but he promised Mum to take care over his sister today so if she would only know, hey!

“You live here then? WOW” He stretched his neck upright. “Yup! “ Was his only answer as he walked to the wooden bridge. Even the bridge had seen better days but the man just strolled over it without a care in the world. The kids carefully followed him. The landscape garden seemed well taken care off with white and red flowers and proud trees sprouting up every now and then. “You do live here nice” The boy only spoke as Mad only had eyes for him. If he would have walked across the ocean she would have blindfold followed him.

Suddenly he stopped and she did bump into him. Shy she looked up to him as he seemed all serious now. “Sorry, Sir” Mez noticed he was making up his mind about something ‘important’ to him as it felt like that. “We won’t tell, right Mad? “ “Yyyeaahh” she stuttered as she looked into his serious glance. He was even more sexier when he was serious. His lovely black curls dangling along his face playing hide and seek in his hood. Her heart had already made the decision not to ever let him go. “Okay” he sighed of relief as he checked his watch. “We have a couple of hours”

The HUGE door creaked open and as they entered the BIG hall all they could do was gawk. Center stage was a HUGE wooden staircase that let upstairs and on your right and left you had wooden closed doors. The hall was adorned and lighted with HUGE chandeliers.

He opened on door on the left and again a BIG room revealed to them. There was a fire crackling in the fireplace that exactly dominated the room which was fully furnished with wood paneling and antique seats. “Take a seat” he offered and both did in a polite way. He sighed once more and took off his coat revealing his white shirt with frizzles. It looked like time had stood still here and at the style of his clothes he hadn’t been shopping for the latest fashion trends in ages it seemed. But never mind how he dressed, the place seemed cozy and warm. “Can I offer you something to drink? “ “Yeah, that would be nice, thank you Sir” “Sir? It’s Michael remember. I’ll be back in a jiffy” Before Mad could offer to help he had disappeared from the room leaving them both alone there.

As he returned with a plate with 3 lemonades, he put them on the table in front of them and plunged down in the sofa. “So” he began. “How is life in ‘Normal Village’? ““It’s okay” Mez shrugged.

A million questions whizzed through his brain but

he couldn’t just fire them, hey as he still had to wrap his brain around what happened and

why they were here in the first place.

It seemed like a dream or should it be a nightmare as

he heard giggling in the other room.

“So what you do for fun ? “ He kicked off the convo. “Fun as in ‘free time’ ? ““Yeah, I suppose so if it’s called like that. ““The usual as in bowling, watching the game and now fishing” “Oh and you my dear? “ “I write” Mad stated proud. “You what? “ Her brother scolded. “Don’t tell anyone or I’ll stay here, period.” Mez then only eyed her as she had been plotting her ‘escape’ for years now. “Well, I do but I always say its ‘studying’ so they won’t forbid it.Such a shame you can’t be creative anymore when you ‘grow’ up” “Grow up? HUH, what for hey? So, what you write then? ““Stories” she shrugged. “Can I read them one day? “ Michael answered eager. “Of course, you can.” She reached towards her bag and revealed a book. Indeed, it looked like a study book but when she opened it. WOW, life sprung out of it. It even made Mez gawk now and he commented. “WOW, you’re a good liar you know! Studying my ass! No…” He nodded ‘no’. “I won’t tell a soul or it’ll be my fault if you go missing one day. I’m your BIG brother, remember! “

Michael only glared at it. His hands itching to hold someone’s dream. She only smiled as she glared in it and then she looked up into his face full of anticipation and she carefully handed him the book. He took it like it was worth a Million bucks. It was a story alright more like a fairytale encrusted with little drawings and curls and she noticed he had the most beautiful smile ever too and her heart melted into a puddle right then and there.

Mez was honestly getting a little ‘bored’ and as he sipped from his lemonade, he saw something that startled him and he almost choked spitting out the stuff. His sister looked kind of offended at him for ‘stealing’ the show and all he could do was say ‘sorry’ but he would never forget what he saw though. I’m sure it would haunt him day and mostly at night now.

Michael however was lost in the story somewhere flapping through the pages. “You like it? “ “HMMMMM” he only muttered and then laughed out loud at a scene in the story. “Where you at? “ She wanted to know getting closer to him. He just showed her the passage and it made her chuckle too.

Just then, she glared at Mez as what was he doing now? He seemed scared or was it skeptical. Without saying a word, she also glanced at the spot he was eyeing. The image of a boy like faded into thin air.

“I think we have to go now. It’s getting dark and so…” Michael not aware of it or even not bothered just replied, “Sure, I hope you had a great time. I don’t want your parents to worry. So, be careful.”

Mez leaped up and grabbed all his stuff. Mad was still sitting on the sofa with her book open on the page they laughed about. She once glanced at it and smiled only now. “Do we really have to go? “ She muttered as she shut the book. “Yeash, Mad we do. Remember, you were studying” he rolled his eyes and I was fishing. So, let’s go before they notice us gone.” “Okay okay” she fretted and hid her book in her bag again. “Promise me, you won’t tell Mum” “About what? This place? “ He squirmy looked around. “Yeah” she stated firmly and it’s a study book remember”“I don’t care about it as long as it doesn’t get us into trouble. Now, we need to go… NOW, please! “ he insisted. She got up and neared him. Mez pulled her arm. “What ‘you doing now? “ “Well, I’m a lady” she stated “… and ladies say a proper goodbye.” It made Michael chuckle though. He liked her already.

“Alright then! Thanks for having us for a drink, Michael but if we don’t hurry now, we’re in trouble, you see! “ “I understand” he answered as he hugged Mad and she had all the trouble in the world leaving him behind though. “I can take you faster to Normal Village though so you don’t have to walk all the way. ““You do? “ Mad cried. “How?” Mez only uttered impatient as he saw it was getting dark pretty fast. “Well, I do have a horse and carriage” “How romantic! “ Mad swayed. “In what century do you live exactly? We have cars and bikes and anyway… If we don’t leave now ‘Prince charming’ is gonna get us into trouble if it’s not already too late by now. See…” he pointed his finger at the stained glass window. It was as dark as night already and Mad only swallowed. “I’m sorry, Michael but we have to go now.” “That is okay. I hope you get home save.” “Yeah, thanks” was all Mez said when he bolted out the door. One last peck on his cheek and she had to go as Mez was yelling at her. He ‘silly waved’ at her and she left with a spring in her step. “You could be nicer, Mez” was the last thing he heard from her.

He turned towards the corner of the room and nodded his head. “James, I told you to play in your room when we have visitors.” “We never have them, Dad? “He seriously eyed him but the boy continued his ‘rap’. “She does look lovely, dad. Are you sure, she’s a Normal? ” “I know” he only sighed and smiled.

Yep, they were just at the lake when they were blinded with flashlights and dogs sniffling and barking at them. “We’ve found them” one ‘Normal’ guy shouted. “Well” they heard the voice of their dad and yep, the tone in his voice sounded like they were in trouble for sure. Then Mum appeared and hugged them both tight.

“Oh, don’t be angry at them. They are still in once piece.” She scolded him as she checked them out. “It’s your fault. You should have gone with them in the first place.” Dad only shrugged as he rolled his eyes and the crowd followed them home. Now, that was a close call was it?